Self opening and closing three-way mirror



March 21, 1933. E J LOEFFLER 1,902,037

SELF OPENING AND CLOSING THREE-WAY MIRROR Filed July 20. 1932 INVENTORfdmuno d1 Loefi'ler BY ORNEY Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UNETED STATES EDMUNDJ. LOEFFLER, or GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA SELFOPENING AND CLOSING THREE-WAYIJIIRROE Application filed July 20,

This invention has relation to mirrors of a foldable type, designed witha View to compactness, durability and simplicity for general purposeuse.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a 3-way mirrorautomatic in its opening and closing action.

' Another object is the provision of a 3-way mirror adaptable for amultiplicity of attachments peculiar to tonsorial and beauty parlorinstallations, as well as for placement in the home, rest rooms and thelike.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a 3-way mirror which,when attached to a barbers chair, for example, will not obstruct or inany .wise hinder or delay the barber, but provide an attractive anduseful device which will automatically function to visually show thecustomer seated in the chair the progress of the barbers eli'orts, onthe sides, front and back of his-the customers head.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device requiringno locking or unlocking means in its opening and closing relation, andone of the principal characteristics of the invention is that it isconstructed in such a manner that it may readily serve its purposewithout the necessity of adjusting it to various heights, and further,without the necessity of a manipulating means to bring the triple mirrorplates in a fixed relation to the customer-in the chair, or otherwise,as the case may be.

Additional objects and salient features of the invention together withits handiness, will readily disclose themselves as the herein describeddisclosure of the invention continues.

I attain these objects by the combination illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a front view of my invention, the mirror proper appearing inclosed position and attached to the arm of a chair.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of Fig. 1, partly in section. V

Figure 3 is a View showing the invention in open relation, the sidemirrors being brought to view at a radius of approximately 118 degrees.

1932. Serial No. 623,511.

Figure 4 is an enlargedview on line H, of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional Fig. 2; and

' Figure 6 is a view showing the invention partly-in section.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews, the nu-' moral 1 thus indicating a barbers chair having the usualside arm members 2 and 3, oneof which has a hole 5 therethrough forinsertion of a stem 4, a set screw 6 forming one means of locking saidstem against movement. It should be understood that said hole attachingmeans to the chair or other object to which 5 the invention may beattached comprises but one of many readily adaptable to the purpose, abracket engaging the device and designed for attachment to the chair,wall orother object by any means within the realm of mechanical skill,even a stand means would serve the purpose just as well. v 1

A jointed right angular bracket 7 comprising a vertically positionedsleeve 8 revolvingly fitting about aforesaid stem 4: and engaging ahollow horizontal'member 9 having cut away portions 34 and 35 providedwith closure members 10 and 11 respectively, and a supporting brace '36,is movably held by means of the said stem 1 in engagement with '8 theattaching means for. a tree swinging movement, said closure means 10 and11 respectively enclosing the hereinafter described mechanism mounted insaid hollow horizontal member 9, but permitting at the same time readyaccess thereto. p a

At each of the ends of the said hollow horizontal member 9 are suitablymounted hearing members 12 and 14 respectively and midview on line 55,of

way thereof, is mounted a similar bearing 9 member 13, bevel gears 15and 16 engaging in mesh at one of the ends (the outer), similargears'l'? and 18 engaging in mesh at the center bearing 13, while at theinner end ofsaid hollow horizontal member 9 a segment or half circlegear 20 engages in mesh with a bevel gear 19 stationarily mounted. onthe end of the stem 4.

The sleeve 8 is provided with a stop means 21 adapted to engage anelongated slot 22 provided at the engaging end of the stem 4, said slot22 being of a predetermined length and limiting the swinging radius ofthe said jointed right angular bracket 7 to approximately 95 degrees,which, upon being swung to the extreme limit of said radius causes thesegment gear in mesh with the stationary gear 19 to simultaneouslyrevolve therewith and in turn, rotate the attached shaft 23 to which theaforesaid gears 15 and 17 are secured, the latter rotating therewith,and, being in mesh with the gears 16 and 18, causes said gears to rotatesimultaneously therewith. Gear 16 is attached to a shaft 27 rotatablypositioned in bearing members 31 and 32 integral with the mirror bracketframe 33, the gear 18 being similarly attached to a shaft 28 rotatablypositioned in bearing members 29 and 3 0 likewise integral with saidmirror bracket frame 33, said frame 33 being slightly tilted so as toprovide a more satisfactory view.

Secured to said shafts 27 and 28, and rotating therewith, framed mirrors24 and comprising reflecting surfaces, are relatively positioned bytheir respective frame members so as to fold over the face of a mirror26, said mirrors 2% and 25, when thus folded, covering said mirror 26,and when in open relation thereto, expose the latter to view, mirror 26,comprising a centrally positioned or 1-way mirror of my invention, whilemirrors 24; and 25 respectively, comprise individual side mirrors andcomplete the 3-way mirror I claim.

It will be noted that in its simplicity the device features few ratherthan many parts, and that the gear mechanism is comp etely hidden fromview. Opening and/ or closing is easy. Merely swinging the bracket oneway opens the mirrors, reversing the swing closes them. The action isautomatic. The device is light in weight, attractively designed, neatlyfinished, easily and quickly installed.

Produced from materials readily obtainable in the open market and at nogreat cost, the mirror plates proper, when in closed relation are faceto face, being thus protected from breakage by the back of theirrespective frames.

I am aware that some changes may from time to time be made in thegeneral arrangements and combination of the device, as well as in thedetails of the construction of the same, without departing from thescope of the present invention as set forth herein, and as defined inthe claims appended hereto. Hence, I do not limit my present inventionto the exact arrangement and construction inclicated and 'described, butwhat I do claim is 1. In a device of the class described, in combinationwith a plurality of framed mirror plates com-prising separate reflectingsurfaces, a movable jointed right angular bracket, a support for saidbracket, said bracket comprising a sleeve having a stop, a hollow memberhaving cut-a-way portions in engagement with said sleeve, and a bracemeans engaging said sleeve and said hollow member, closure means forclosing said cut-a-way portions in said hollow member, a stem adaptedfor loose engagement within said sleeve, said stem having an elongatedslot for engaging said stop provided in said sleeve, a bevel gearstationarily mounted in the end of said stem, a segment gear, saidsegment gear operatably mounted in said hollow member and meshing withsaid bevel bear stationarily mounted in the end of said stem, bearingmembers in said hollow member, a shaft having one of its ends inrotatable engagement with said segment gear, a bevel gear in engagementwith the other end of said shaft, a second bevel gear in engagement withsaid shaft midway its length, said shaft and said bevel gears inengagement therewith being rotatable upon the swinging of said hollowmember, said swinging of said hollow member causing said stationary gearmounted in the end of said stem to rotate said segment gear in meshtherewith whereby said shaft securing said'segment gear is caused torevolve and rotate said bevel gears.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pluralityof framed mirror plates comprising separate reflecting surfaces, amovably disposed hollow bracket comprising a support for a mirrorbracket frame, gear means mounted in said hollow bracket, two of saidplurality of framed mirror plates in engagement with said movablydisposed bracket and adapted to be compactly foldable and extensibleover the reflecting surface of the third of said plurality of framedmirror plates, said mirror bracket frame comprising a means for securinga third mirror plate, bearing means in engagement with said mirrorbracket frame, shaft means engaging said bearings, said shaft meansextending within said hollow bracket, bevel gears on said shaft means,said bevel gears meshing with said gear means mounted in said hollowbracket, means within said hollow bracket for rotating said lastmentioned gear means upon manually swinging said hollow bracket, ther'otating in one direction of said last mentioned gear meanssimultaneously rotating said bevel gears meshing therewith and saidshaft means engaging the same, whereby said framed mirror plates inengagement with said mirror bracket frame are automatically brought inopen relation to expose said third mirror plate to view, the manualswinging of said hollow bracket in oppositedirection from the former,automatically closing said framed mirror plates in foldable relation andextensible against said third mirror plate so as to hide same from view.I

3. In a device of the class described, in

combination with a plurality of framed mirror plates comprising separatereflecting surfaces, one of said framed mirror plates secured in astationary mirror bracket frame, said mirror bracket frame pivotallysupporting on each of its sides another of said plurality of framedmirror plates in foldable relation to the reflecting surface of themirror plate secured in said mirror bracket frame, a hollow brackethaving cut away portions, closure means for enclosing the same, saidhollow bracket engaging a sleeve, a sleeve having a stop providedtherein, a stem having an elongated slot provided thereon, said stemadapted for loosely engaging within the said sleeve, and said stop insaid sleeve adapted for engagement with said elongated slot in saidsleeve, a bevel gear immovably fixed to the end of said stem, a supportfor said stem and comprising an attaching means for said hollow bracketengaging said mirror frame bracket, hearings in said hollow bracket, ashaft rotatably positioned therein, a segment gear on one end of saidshaft and in mesh with said immovably fixed bevel gear in the end ofsaid shaft, a bevel gear on the other end of said shaft, a second bevelgear centrally positioned on said shaft, said bevel gear on the end ofsaid shaft, and said centrally positioned bevel gear on said shaftrotating with said shaft on a swinging movement of said hollow bracketin any direction, said segment gear on the other end of said shaft inmesh with said fixed bevel gear on the end of said stem causing saidshaft to revolve and to rotate said bevel gears thereto affixed.

4. In a device of the class described, in combination with a hollowbracket adaptable to swing forwardly and backwardly upon manually movingthe same, bearing members in said hollow bracket, gears rotatablypositioned in said hollow bracket, a shaft in said hollow bracket, saidgears in engagement with said shaft, a stem provided with an elongatedslot, a fixed gear at the end of said stem,

a sleeve having a stop for engagement with said slot, said stem looselyfitting into said sleeve, said fixed gear at the end of said stemengaging a segment gear positioned on said shaft, said fixed gearrotating said gear upon a forward or backward movement of said hollowbracket, said rotating of said gear causing said shaft to rotate, asecond gear and a third gear in engagement with said shaft rotatingtherewith, a mirror frame bracket constituting a centrally affixedmirror plate, said mirror frame bracket engaging said hollow bracket andbeing slightly tilted thereon,

a pair of side mirror plates pivotably positioned on said mirror framebracket and foldable in front and against the same, bearing members insaid mirror frame bracket, shaft members disposed therein, gears inengagement with said shafts, said shafts extending into said hollowbracket, gears on the ends of said shafts, said gears meshing with saidsecond and said third gears on said shaft in said hollow bracket androtating therewith, the rotating of said gears in one directionautomatically opening said side mirror plates and exposing saidcentrally aflixed mirror plate to view, and in the opposite direction,closing the same in foldable relation, removing said centrally affixedmirror plate from view.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination with a pluralityof framed mir- 'ror plates comprising a mirror plate secured in a framebracket in tilted position and having pivoted side mounting meansthereon, a side mirror plate pivotably engaging the same, said sidemirror plates being automatically foldable and unfoldable over the faceof the said mirror plate secured in the said frame bracket, a hollowbracket, said frame bracket suitably mounted to the same, mount ingmeans for pivotably securing said hollow bracket for side movementthereof, said hollow bracket being manually operated for instantaneousaction to open and close said side mirror plates, a sleeve adaptable toreceive a stem and having a stop, a stem, an elongated slot thereinreceiving said stop, said stem loosely fitted into said sleeve, saidstop and said elongated slot cooperating with said bracket to limit theswinging radius thereof, means mounted in said hollow bracket and meansmounted in said framed mirror plates low bracket to automatically swingsaid pivoted side mirror plates in open relation to said mirror securedin said frame bracket so as to eXposethe latter to View, and cooperatingtherewith upon a reverse movement thereof, to swing the same in closedrelation to said mirror plate so as to remove the same from view.

EDMUND J. LOEFFLER.

